Feters



titane-1I tatre @wat Gtilyiirr.

SILAs oook, orMAeNoLIA, AssreNoRro HrMsnLr AND AHENRY Form,

f or sioux' Grrr. iowa.,`

Letters 4Patent No. 97,361, dated November 30, 1869.

AUTOMATIC BOILER-FEEDER The Scnedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may ccncera.-

Be it known that I, SILAS COOK, of Magnolia, in the county of Harrison, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Boiler-Feeders; and I do hereby declare' that the fol` lowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,`

which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

This invention relates to new and important improvements in the method of supplying `steam-boilers with water, whereby a' uniform height of water in the boiler is automatically maintained; and v The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of suitable mechanism for raising the water -vfrom the well or cistern', by the pressure of steam,v and in discharging it into the boiler at. a temperature near the boiling-point, Vand hin quantities required to preserve the water-line in the boiler at a uniform height, the-arrangementand operation -being hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying plates of drawing-- Figure .1, Plate I, represents a vertical section of the heater, through the line x x, of fig. 2, s howing the general arrangement of parts, and the float and the pipes connected with the heater.

Figure 2, same plate, is a top or plan View of the heater, partly in section, showing the valves and valvemovements.`

Figure 3, Plate II, is a 'vertical cross-sectionof iig. 1.throngh the line y.y,'and also a view of the supplytank andci'stern. Y

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section of iig. 1,-through thc line z-z.

Figure 5 is a front-end view,showing also a vertical section of the valve and pipe, through which feedwater is admitted to the boiler.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parte. A is the heater, which, isformed of two cylindrical or other-formed vessels, with an annular space, B, between, int-o Whichthe exhaust steam from the engine is discharged through the pipe C.

1J is the water-chamber, which, as seen in the draw ing, is surrounded by the exhaust steam.

Water is forced into this chamber through the pipe E, which is connected with the lower portion of the supplycisteru, as' is indicated in dotted lines in tig. 3. This pipe E is provided, near its upper eX- tremity, with au linduction -valve, which, pressure thereon beingremoved, prevents the egress of the water in the usual manner.

F represents the supply-tank, which is submerged in the well,cistern, or reservoir, and which fills through the hollowplug seen at G. This plug has a ball- -contact with the water.

valve, which rises from its seat when the water ows in to fill the tank, and closes down and prevents the escape of water, when pressure is applied to the surface of the water in the tank. A flap-valve inside of the tank, and valves otherwise arranged, may be used for this purpose.

I attach a rod, H, to this valve, so that it may be readilynraised for repairs, when necessary, without disturbing the tank.

The water is forced from the tank F, by introducing steam through the pipeI, either directly from the boiler, or from the exhaust-port of the engine.

, J is a pipe, which conducts the water of condensation from the annular space B, down into the tank.

There is a-check-valvjc at K, and as the steam acts periodically through the pipe I, according to the wants of the boiler, as willbe hereinafter described, the checkvalve closes by the pressure of the steam, and opens for the escape of the water of condensation, when the pressure is removed'.

The'` steam which is thus used, first enters the Vvalvechamber M, through the pipe N.

This pipe connects directly with the boiler, by`

means of the pipe O, and with the eihaust-port, by means of the pipe I. 4 v

Should the pressure from the exhaust-port not be sufficient to raise the water, the cock q, in the steam# pipe O, may be opened, when steam at boiler-pressure will be discharged into the tank In practice, I have a float arranged inthe tank, upon which'the steam acts, instead of acting -indirect This prevents condensation to a great degree.

The inside of the tank itself is lined with wood, or some good non-conductor, for the same purpose, but the water of condensation, which is discharged into the tank at a temperature but little below theboilingpoint, prevents any' injurious' condensation Yin the tank.

Experience has proved that, with this arrangement, steaml can be used for raising water, to better advantage than in any other manner.

As before stated, the steam which is used for this purpose, is first introduced into the steam-chest M.

This chest is in fact always in communication with the exhaust-port, or with the boiler, or with both. It

is 'provided with a slide, D. valve R, and two ports p As seen in the drawing, iig. 3, Plate II, steam is being admitted to the steam-pipe I. y d

'When the valve slides back, it shuts oif the steam from the pipe N, but opens a communication between the pipes I and the annular space B of the heater, .by means of a short pipe, T, seen in iig. 2, by which means an equilibrium of pressureis produced in the tank, and in the annular' space B.

gear, and thus operate the valves.

'The operation is the same as that of an ordinary engine slide-valv^e. Steam is admitted to the tank, and exhausted into the heater alternately, but the movement of the valve is governed by the requirements o r call of the boiler for waten U, fig. 3, represents another steam-chest, provided with ports and water-chamber D, and slide-valve V,

arranged and operating in the same manner as the one already described.

This chest U is in communication with the boiler, by means ofthe pipe W.'

This pipe passes down outside the boiler, below the water-line.

The desired waterline may be considered to be at rv.

As long as the water is above the point x, the pressure of the steam will force water through the pipe WV into the chest.

When the water falls below that line, steam will enter through the opening at x, and be discharged into the chest.

As represented in fig. 1, the heaterA. is connected with a oat-chamber, Y, which chamber is separated by a vertical partition from another water-chamber, z.

This chamber #communicates with the water-chamber D, and both are supposed to be at all times full of water up to the line a, fig. 3.

When the water rises above that line, it is discharged into the float-chamber Y, through an orifice in the partition, as seen in the drawings.

B represents a float in the form of a quarter of a cylinder'.

C' is a shaft, to which the central angle ofthe float is attached.

This shaft, with the float, turns freely on bearings at D and E', and is arranged so that it makes only one-fourth cfa revolution.

When the chamber Yis filled, so as to raise the float and turn the shaft the fourth of a revolution, i

the valves R and V are moved, the port S is closed, and the port j' is opened, which allows steam from the chamber U and pipe NV to enter the float-chamber,

by which means an equilibrium of pressure is produced between the boiler and the float-chamber, andA feed-water surface in the heater.

At the same time that the -valves R and V are chariged, the valve G', in the steam-chamber H', is moved, and a port opened, which communicates, by means of' the pipe I', directly with the heater.

An equilibrium of pressure having .been produced, as before stated, the water contained in the floatchamberfalls into the boiler by its own gravity through the pipe I".

When the water is discharged from the float-chamber, the -float falls again to the position seen in the drawing.

The rising and falling of the oat operates all the slide-valves, by means of an arm, J', ou the outer end of the float-shaft O.

K is a weighted wheel, which revolves freely on the shaft C', with pins in its periphery, which, as the float rises, and as it falls, strike other pins on the valve- The valve-gear is seen in the plan view, fig. 2.

mm are two levers, whu l1 have their filiera on the fixed bar n', to which the valve-rods o o', of' the valves R and V, are attached.

-The levers m are connected together by a rod, P, which has a projecting tappet-pin, q1

lr r represent two pairs of'pins on the periphery of the wheel K'.

s s represent two pins, which project from the side ofthe rim ofthe wheel K.

When the arm J', on the end of the float-shaft, is raised and lowered by the partial revolution of that shalt, it strikes the pin s, and revolves the wheel,

carryingit up until the weight 1" is carried over the centre of the wheel,- so that by its gravity, it will revolve the wheel till the pin o" strikes the pin g', and thus change the' valve.

This takes piace as the float is raised to its highest pont,.so that the changing of the valves produces the effect before described, and allows the water in the float-chamber to dropinto the boiler through the pipe l".

When the valves It and 'V are thus moved er changed, the valve G is also changed, by a similar arrangement of valve-gear, by means ofthe pins r,

The loat'falls the water leaves the chamber,

when thearm J' will act against the pin s', which will carry thel weight il" back over the centre of the wheel, until it again drops by its lown gravity, and moves the valves into the position seen in the drawing.

This operation will be repeated only as often as the I boilerl requires an additional supply of water, 'for it will be understood that water can be introduced into the boiler only when steam enters the valve-chcst U, and establishes au equilibrium of pressure between the boiler and the feed-water in the doat chamber and heater, and this will take place only when the water in the boiler falls below the desired water line.

I do not confine myself` to the particular valve-'arrangement here shown.

A single slide-valve, instead of' the two valves R and V, may be made to answer the purposes of both, and propose to use either one or two valves, and to otherwise vary the minor details of the arrangement, as future experience may suggest.

U is a blow-ofi' pipe for4 the annular steam-space B.

The heater A is elevated on stands W', on piers of masonry, or in any other manner, to any desired height on top of or above the boiler.

By adequate pressure of steam in the tank F, water may be elevated to the heater from any required depth, and in the most economical manner.

It will be noticed, that with this feeder', connected with a steam-boiler, it is immaterial whether the engine is running or not, this apparatus will work whenever the wat-er fallsbelow the desired water-line, whether it falls by reason of ,vaporizatiom leakage, or any other cause.

The advantages of' this arrangement for feeding boilers are many and obvious, among which may be named perfect safety, absence of friction, and surety of action, when once sctin motion.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of the 'exhaust-port of' an en gine with the pipes P N, heating-chamber' B, and water-chambenD, to heat the water preparatory to conveying it into the boiler, as set forth. n

2. rllhe combination of water-chamber D, chamber z, having aperture a, and chamber Y, to raise the valve-float B' at the time specified, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of'v a boiler, and eduction-pipe m, attached thereto, near the desired water-line, with a chest U, valve V, port f, and chamber Y, to dev'press the valve-float and let in a supply of' water to the boiler at the time needed, and in the manner set forth.

4. The float B', operated in the manner described, in combination with the shaft C', arm J, and weighted wheel K', having pins lr r s s thereon, to operate the valve-gear, in the manner specified.'

The above specification of my invention signed by me, this 29th day of June, 1869.

Witnesses: SILASl COOK.

FRANK BLooKLEY, ALEX. F. Rionnrs. 

